Walsall RFC Ltd

I hope you are well and safe and have had the opportunity to enjoy some time at the club over the last few months.

Unfortunately with the latest Government instruction regarding Covid-19, we again have to shut the club and its facilities from last night through to currently the 2^nd December. The RFU have also confirmed the lockdown means that there is no group training allowed at any age until that date.

With the Club closed, we will again be looking to minimise expenditure. This will involve reducing use of all utilities, reducing pitch maintenance, cancellation of SkyTV and suspension of the BTTV account and safely isolating the beer lines after drinking what we could of the breached barrels. Without our main source of income we will be looking to access the financial help outlined by the Govt. and what may be applicable to us. The Executive committee will work through the process of obtaining such grants, rebates or salary support that may be applicable. 

Our second source of income is our membership subscriptions and I must thank all of you who have paid in full, or continue to pay by standing order, for you commitment and support in such an extraordinary and challenging year and rugby season.. For those who have yet to pay membership, I would ask and encourage, where you are able, to pay some form of membership in order to help ensure we come through this season with a healthy club able to provide you and the community with an ever improving rugby facility and increasingly a running and cycling facility.

Regarding playing, the RFU have confirmed that below level 3, grassroots rugby will have no competitive league rugby this season. There may be opportunities to play some contact form of the game before the end of the season, but this has yet to be determined or confirmed.

All age groups of the club have managed to train over the last 5 months and there has been great commitment from Senior players through all ages to Baby Bears, not forgetting the volunteer coaches. I don’t doubt the camaraderie and enjoyment that rugby brings along with a sense of normality as we gather together, has become even more significant in such difficult circumstances. That along with members, senior players and parental commitment to the bar, has helped greatly after the first lockdown. Thank you.

Regarding the pitches; the work done on the bottom pitch in the summer seems to have been effective and having said that we are reducing pitch maintenance, this will be for the cutting and marking of the grass pitches. We are however taking the opportunity to aerate both grass pitches to promote grass growth, relieve compaction and apply (Autumn/Winter) fertiliser to both pitches. This should help further enhance those pitches for what will hopefully be a full 2021/22 rugby season.

The seeking of funds for the development of the club and changing rooms has progressed since I last communicated. We have successfully received confirmation of financial support in the form of grants from Sport England (£50K) and Enovert (£45K) plus the RFU loan (£100K) is still open to us. We are currently in the 2^nd stage of the application process with Veolia (£50K). Covid-19 has inevitably delayed some funding opportunities notably with the Lottery, however we will continue to look at these as part of later phases of the project. We currently intend to start phase 1 of the work toward the end of March 2021.

It should also be noted we finally managed to achieve the upgrade and development that was desperately needed for the kitchen in the summer, with great help from members. It has already proven to be of benefit with increased use on Sunday and steak and pie nights.

Although this lockdown period is still uncertain, I believe the club is in a positive position to weather the latest shutdown and with your continued support, meet the challenges of next year.

Take care, look after yourselves and others and I hope to see you before Christmas (2020!).   

Tim Smith

Hon. President